Art of Storytelling: My Story

My name is Caroline Allen, and I am the founder of the book coaching business, Art of Storytelling.

In the 1990s, I worked as an international journalist in Tokyo and London. I was reporter, sub-editor and editor for newsroom dailies, like London’s Independent newspaper and the Financial Times. I’d grown up in rural Missouri, then graduated from the best journalism school in the U.S. I’d gone from planting corn and butchering wild animals to covering the death of Emperor Hirohito in Tokyo, then in London reporting on the death of Diana. It was an epic life, and one I didn’t want to give up.

But something happened. I was working at the Financial Times when something broke down, split open, shifted. I no longer wanted to be around so many stories of trauma or reports about money. I just couldn’t take it anymore. Surely life was meant to be lived with much more soul, much more love and passion.

What followed were years of searching. I moved from London to Seattle. I gave up journalism. I went from being an important person to a “nobody”. It was a necessary fall from grace. I needed to find out who I truly was. I needed to heal childhood wounds.

And I needed to discover (or re-discover) my passion. But the problem is, sometimes our passions are so buried, it can take years to hear that still small voice again.

I did odd jobs, and I mean “odd”. I wandered the forests of the Pacific Northwest. I was in agony most of the time. Who was I if I wasn’t a journalist? What did I want to do?

Out of boredom, I picked up art supplies for the first time since I was a child. Although I’d won awards for my art as a little girl, I hadn’t touched it in years. And meanwhile, a therapist suggested I also start telling my stories. She said I should write every day. Desperate for some relief from the confusion that had become my life, I sat at my computer every morning and cried. I did write, but that keyboard was drenched by the end of the first year.

Boy did I learn the hard way. Every step forward was like stepping into an abyss. I used to dream that there was no ground beneath my feet, but if I took a step, the ground would appear. What courage that took. I was scared most of the time. Here I was at 30 floundering. I’d spent my life being the achiever, the smart one, the award winner, the success. Who was I now? I sought therapy, spiritual teachers. I meditated. Daily, I sat down and wrote my stories. Weekly, I picked up a paint brush.

Today, I am an award-winning novelist, on the third of five novels, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ether, and a visual artist who has had shows in different cities. But the journey was long and arduous, and I came out of it knowing that I had to help other people on this path.

I want to hold the light up and direct the way. “This way. Yes, this way. It’s the simplest, most rewarding way to what you seek.”

I discovered deep down I was already whole; it was just a process of removing the resistances that obscured this truth. I learned I had to let go of the ego, work through the blocks, and get to the essence of who I truly was. What did I want to say and how, as artist, as writer, as a human being? How could I authentically express my voice?

All of the experiences, labors and lessons learned on this path have been brought into Art of Storytelling, both in my one-on-one coaching with clients, and in the E-Courses. The E-Courses can be used by artists and writers for themselves, by teachers in art classes, by caring professionals like social workers to open up and help heal themselves and their clients. They can be used by anyone, in any country all over the world. The artistic essence is universal.

I believe a revolution of voice is happening globally. Many of us are feeling the call to live more authentically. We all know we can’t continue with ego in the driver’s seat and not destroy the planet. Finding and following our bliss is to me the most profound way to shift the tide of destruction. Follow your passion to be a writer and artist, and you will help evolve the entire planet.

We offer a free initial consultation. Contact us at info.artofstorytelling@gmail.com.